On this week's Indigenous roundtable, we look back and ahead—what were the trends and themes that defined this past year for Indigenous peoples, and what might the next 12 months bring? According to our roundtable, 2016 was a breakout year for empowering Indigenous media artistry and activism. It also ended with a bang, as heated discussions about identity fraud re-ignited after new revelations about acclaimed author Joseph Boyden. Joining us once more are Cutcha Risling Baldy, Assistant Professor of American Indian Studies at San Diego State University, and Taté Walker, editor of Native Peoples magazine.

This week's podcast, a kind of holiday edition, features an interview Rickconducted back in 2011with Ryerson University professor Christopher Powell about his then-new book, "Barbaric Civilization: A Critical Sociology of Genocide," published by McGill-Queen's University Press.Theinterview appears courtesy of NCI-FM, where it first aired.

On this week's Indigenous roundtable... Jennifer Lawrence's 'sorry' butt: the Hunger Games star has apologized after social media slammed her conduct at a sacred site in Hawai'i but critics say her mealy-mouthed words of so-called contrition only made things worse. And Cherokee choose change: a senior legal official with the tribe reverses a 9-year-old ban on same-sex marriage. We'll look into what prompted the decision and where other communities across the U-S stand on the matter.

United yet again to talk United States’ stories making headlines are Cutcha Risling Baldy, an Assistant Professor of American Indian Studies at San Diego State University, and Taté Walker, editor of Native Peoples magazine.

On this week's roundtable...Return to the Rock:last episode, the future of the fight against the Dakota Access pipeline project seemed uncertain, with many opponents fearing the worst. Then on Sunday, to the surprise of many, the Army announced it would not permit construction to proceed. But will the company behind the pipeline listen? And, Looming land grab?We'll discuss a Reuters report suggesting some members of the Trump team will push the President-elect to privatize treaty lands so billions in oil and gas reserves can finally be extracted. Joining us once again are Cutcha Risling Baldy, an Assistant Professor of American Indian Studies at San Diego State University, and Taté Walker, editor of Native Peoples magazine.

Where do things stand with Standing Rock? The struggle in North Dakota against the construction of the Dakota Access pipeline continues to face constant pressure from federal and state authorities. With winter weather only adding to the challenges, how much longer can these thousands of activists hold out? Plus, Pixar Polynesian: the Disney-owned studio's newest animated release is earning cautious kudos for its depiction of a young girl's quest to save her people. But is Moana really a respectful representation of Indigenous life or just more cultural tourism? This week’s roundtable features Cutcha Risling Baldy is an Assistant Professor of American Indian Studies at San Diego State University and Taté Walker, editor of Native Peoples magazine.